1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to guides, and more particularly to a flexible sheet device which is an easily attachable and interchangeable guide for printed sheets exiting the outlet slots of different types of office equipment, which usually do not have integrated sheet guides.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional art depicts a variety of non-interchangeable sheet guides designed for specific types of equipment which generally fall into two categories: 1) paper type guides mechanically fastened through hinge type pins or anchored to specifically shaped receiving slots; or 2) paper outlets of office equipment, shaped and functionally configured to hold exiting paper in a specific orientation in relation to the unprinted paper for minimizing interference with the unprinted paper. In contrast to the conventional art, the present invention is designed to be interchangeable and capable of attachment to a variety of office equipment not configured with built-in guides or specifically shaped paper outlets.
In the first category, U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,671, issued to Karl H. Rhode on Aug. 1, 1967, describes a paper guide mechanically fastened by pins or pivots to the piece of office equipment. Rhode does not disclose an interchangeable and flexible material guide that can be attached via an attachment or adhesive layer to a variety of office equipment.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,612, issued to Helge Stahre on Jul. 18, 1989, describes an apparatus for viewing a large number of entries on a sheet of paper leaving a calculating machine. The apparatus connects or anchors to the calculating machine by fitting in a track of the calculating machine, and utilizes an elongated fastening device. Stahre does not disclose an interchangeable and flexible material guide that can be attached via an attachment or adhesive layer to a variety of office equipment.
U.K. Patent Application No. GB 2142879 A, published on Apr. 9, 1984, for Naoyuki Maruyama, describes a paper guide adapted for use in an apparatus for producing a record. The paper guide is specifically shaped and mechanically fastened through a hinge pin to the recording apparatus. The patent application does not disclose an interchangeable and flexible material guide that can be attached via an attachment or adhesive layer to a variety of office equipment.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 2,802,558, issued on Aug. 13, 1957, to Mark Wexler describes magnetic alignment elements for continuous form typewriters or machines. The Wexler alignment elements are two separate tabs which attach to a carriage of a typewriter to keep the forms fed through the typewriter from moving laterally due to the drag exerted by the reciprocal motion of the carriage. The alignment elements are anchored to the typewriter through a combination of metallic attraction and use of a pressure sensitive adhesive layer. Wexler does not disclose a one-piece interchangeable and material flexible guide that can be attached via an attachment or adhesive layer to a variety of office equipment. As a result, the structure of the specifically designed Wexler typewriter alignment tabs cannot be used to keep printing material or paper from recoiling, inking unused rolls of printing material, or keeping debris out of a printing material inlet slot of various pieces of office equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,282 issued Jan. 3, 1989, to William R. Bradham on describes a paper guide and stop for a multifunctional printer. The paper guide is attached by screws, rivets or adhesives to a stop block integrated into the multi functional printer. The paper guide is structurally designed to work in conjunction with a specifically shaped path or track for a paper slip or recorded media integrated into the multifunction printer. This combination of components restrains the movement of the paper slip and prevents interference of the paper slip or recorded media with a movable printhead, which moves in a reciprocating motion perpendicular to the path of the paper slip or recording media. Bradham, therefore, does not disclose a one-piece interchangeable and flexible material guide that can be attached via an attachment or adhesive layer to a variety of office equipment. As a result, the structure of the specifically designed and shaped Bradham paper guide and slip stop cannot be used to keep printing material or paper from re-coiling, inking unused rolls of printing material or keeping debris out of a material inlet slot of various pieces of office equipment.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a flexible paper guide solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is a flexible guide for printing material exiting the material outlet slot of office equipment. The flexible guide is easily interchangeable and attachable to a variety of office equipment, which, ordinarily, do not have specifically configured and integrated guides. Upon attachment to the equipment surface, the guide extends over the roll of unused printing material keeping the unused material clean, and preventing the printed material from recoiling and reentering the material inlet slot. The guide specifically incorporates an attachment layer for attachment to the equipment""s upper surface. The guide is made from flexible material, such as vinyl, which produces an angle generally less than 45xc2x0 between the planes of the guide and the upper surface of the equipment, to minimize debris and printed material from reentering the material inlet slot of the equipment.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a flexible material guide that is interchangeable and attaches to a variety of office equipment that ordinarily do not have integrated material guides.
It is another object of the invention to flex and prevent a ribbon of printing material exiting an outlet slot from rolling back into the material inlet slot.
It is a further object of the invention to keep debris and torn printing material from entering the material inlet slot.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an easily removable invention which is capable of attaching to a variety of office equipment with printing material supplies.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.